Almost everyone has had to deal with a clogged toilet at some point in their life, and it can be a huge inconvenience – not to mention a huge mess! There are several reasons a toilet could clog, one of them being toilet paper. Most people believe that it’s the amount of toilet paper being used that causes a toilet to clog, but very few people consider the type of toilet paper they are using and if that could be the culprit. There are certain types of toilet paper that are better for your plumbing than others, and here’s what you need to know.
The worst option for toilet paper
We usually consider comfort levels and how soft the toilet paper feels against our skin, but rarely do we consider how fast this type of paper will disintegrate in water, which means how much risk it is for clogging.
Any 3-ply toilet paper – usually saying something like “Ultra Plush” on the packaging – is the worst for your plumbing system. In water, these types of toilet paper come out thick and clumpy and don’t dissolve, which means they could very easily clog a toilet when someone uses too much.
Reasonable options
2-ply toilet paper is slightly better than those ultra-plush ones, but not by much. They could still very easily clog up a toilet if someone uses too much or tries to flush too much at once.
When tested in water, they dissolved slightly easier than the 3-ply ones did but not by much, so they still could cause some issues over time if you don’t look after your plumbing system properly.
Best toilet paper for plumbing
When tested, most single-ply toilet paper options performed far better than their 2- and 3-ply counterparts. If you use this kind of toilet paper, it may not feel as lush against your skin, but it will be much better for your plumbing system in the long run.
Most singly ply toilet papers were completely dissolved within 15 minutes in water and could not be scooped out. This means they will be less likely to cause a clog or other issue with your plumbing. This is not to say you won’t ever have a clogged toilet when using 1-ply, but the chances of it happening as much less likely.
So, do you really have to use single-ply toilet paper?
You may be thinking that if you use single ply you will still use the same amount as if you had 3-ply, and you will end up clogging the toilet anyways. However, this isn’t necessarily true. Even when the same amounts have been used, single-ply toilet paper has been shown to break down much quicker in water and therefore be less likely to cause a major clog.
If you are currently using 3-ply toilet paper, you may want to consider even switching to 2-ply and eventually down to single ply so that you can take care of your plumbing system.
Call McKenna Plumbing today
Contact McKenna Plumbing today if you have concerns about a possible clog in your system.